


Mercy

by potterly



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Canon Universe, Idiots in Love, M/M, Noah is the ultimate shipper, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-18 14:03:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9388301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potterly/pseuds/potterly
Summary: Ronan loves Adam. Adam couldn't possibly feel the same way. Noah trying to interfere doesn't help things.





	1. How come?

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I'm posting online since 2014...yeah. So don't be too harsh please.  
> It's probably OOC and badly paced but I just love these two so much I had to write something! It'll hopefully be multi-chaptered.

“You’re doing it again.”

“What?” Ronan whipped his head round to glare at Noah. The purgatorial being in question was sitting, (could dead people really sit?), presenting on the sofa of Monmouth Manufacturing, watching Ronan with a raised eyebrow and an upturned lip. Gansey was in his room, and Adam was sitting on the other side of the room with his headphones on, the music audible despite the distance.

“The Adam Admiring. Parrish Peering. Take your pick.” Noah said.

“Fuck you. I was looking at the lamp. Parrish moved into my line of sight.” Ronan didn’t feel bad about the lie because he knew Noah’s creepy ability to know someone’s actual thoughts made it redundant.

“You’re not a fan of lamps. There’s no need to be embarrassed, I think it’s cute.” The way he said cute made Ronan want to smash something.

“You’re lucky you’re already dead.” He snarled.

“You could always throw me out of the window again.” Noah shrugged.

“Don’t tempt me Czerny.” He said, to which Noah simply gave him an appraising look.

“You know,” Noah lowered his voice and leaned forward on the sofa slightly, “it isn’t that impossible to think he might feel the same way.”

Something like hope flared obscenely somewhere inside Ronan’s chest. He dismissed it. That was the dream, and this was reality. It just so happened that mixing the two up was made a lot easier by his being the Greywaren.

“We’re not talking about this. He doesn’t. End of.” He said in as neutral a tone as possible, hoping to convey indifference, despite the fact that the admission felt like one of his night horrors in verbal form.

Noah sighed, but didn’t say anything else. For some reason that annoyed Ronan even more.

“The hell is your problem? It isn’t your fucking business anyway.”

“I’m the one most exposed to all the teenage angst in this group, and between Gansey and Blue and you and Adam, I feel like I’m stuck in a CW show.”

“A CW show?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what that is and that I didn’t catch you watching one last week.” Noah rolled his eyes.

“Whatever, the main dude was hot. Also, I don’t have teenage angst. My angst is very adult. Fucking NC-17 rated.”

“Sure. Look, all I’m saying is all the pining is getting painful to watch. Just make a move and be the tough macho man you pretend to be.”

Ronan couldn’t deny that sometimes he indulged himself in the idea. That he would tell Adam how he felt, and it would be reciprocated, in a blur of wild kisses and tangled limbs. Then he remembered that he was Ronan Lynch, and Adam Parrish was untouchable to him. Besides, there hadn’t been any signs that Adam was even into guys. There was also the fact that he sure had been head over heels for Blue. If she was his type, Ronan was screwed.

“You could just ask.” Noah suggested.

“Yeah because shit like that comes up real fucking casual.”

“I’ll do it. The dead don’t have to adhere to conversational norms.” Noah immediately got up and started striding over to where Adam was sitting, which significantly alarmed Ronan.

“Noah!” Ronan launched from his seat and all but tackled him to the floor. As he landed, he felt something digging painfully into his side, and realised it was one of the Epipens he’d dreamt up for Gansey. 

“Jesus,” he said, wincing at the pain, “from now on I’ll just let him take his chances.”

“What’s going on?” Adam asked. He’d taken off his headphones and was observing them, more curious than concerned. His hair was dishevelled in a way that almost hurt to look at, his freckles were increasingly demanding space on his angular face, and his eyes shone brightly from under his lashes. Ronan thought those eyes could outshine entire galaxies.

Noah coughed, and Ronan realised he’d been staring for too long. As usual.

“Nothing. Noah was just being a shit.”

“You sure it wasn’t the other way round?” Adam replied, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Ye of little faith.” Ronan feigned mock hurt.

“I do have faith. In you being a shit.”

“Bite me Parrish.”

“I’m good thanks.” Adam said, at the same time that Noah snorted. Ronan gave them the bird.

Why did the fact that Adam’s teeth weren’t actually going to be grazing his skin in the near future make Ronan so irritated? God he needed to get a fucking grip.

He decided to move the conversation on lest something in his expression gave Adam that suspicious look he’d been seeing more and more frequently as of late.

“I’m starving. Nino’s?”

“Sure.” Adam said nonchalantly, but the way he licked his lips and the slightly hollow look in his eyes proved what Ronan had already guessed, that he’d barely eaten all day. Ronan’s insides pounded furiously.

“Alright, get Dad and let’s head.” Adam rolled his eyes.

“He won’t come. He’s buried in some Glendower stuff.”

“He’ll come. Maggot’s on shift.” Ronan said, whilst sneaking a glance to gauge Adam’s reaction. He could detect something in the way his jaw clenched, in the way his fists tightened around his callused fingers, although he didn’t know whether it was jealousy or annoyance.

“Right.” Adam said with gritted teeth whilst staring at the wall.

“If it bothers you so much that they’re together why don’t you just call them out on it?” Ronan snapped.

Adam whipped his head back to Ronan’s. “Why would you think I’m bothered?”

“Ungrit your teeth then ask that again.” Ronan said.

“Fine. It bothers me that they think I’m too much of a child to handle it. I get not telling me before, but now?” Adam said petulantly, whilst very obviously trying to not look petulant.

“That’s the only reason?” Ronan endeavoured to keep his voice as level as possible.

“If you’re asking whether or not I’m still into Blue, that’s a no. Why are you so interested?” Adam tilted his head and the corner of his mouth quirked up. Unfortunately Ronan found this very attractive, and made it hard to think of something coherent to say.

“I…fuck Parrish I’m not _interested_ , I just …don’t want to see the loft dynamic messed up.”

Noah snorted and tried pitiably to cover it with a coughing fit. Ronan glared at him.

“Okay.” Adam said sceptically, drawing the word out. He then looked at Noah, and if Ronan hadn’t known better he would have thought they were silently communicating. Which was impossible. Wasn’t it? Surely Adam’s Cabeswater gains didn’t also involve ESP. He really was losing it. He shook himself and decided to break the palpable tension that now filled the room.

“Whatever, let’s just go alright? It’s already 6:30 so we’ll need to eat fast if you don’t want to be late for your shift.”

Adam looked back at Ronan at this. His brows were furrowed in confusion and Ronan could almost hear the cogs turning in his brain. Crap. What had he said now?

“You know what time my shifts are?” Adam said, in a tone so raw and full of disbelief that it made Ronan ache. The little things like that always reminded him of how much self-hatred he still concealed. How could someone as beautiful as Adam Parrish believe he was so worthless? That no one cared about him? It made him want to go pay a certain resident of Henrietta’s trailer park a visit.

“How else am I supposed to know when to come annoy you?” Ronan said.

“As if you there’s a time of day you don’t annoy me?” Adam grinned and raised his eyebrows.

“Well now, I wouldn’t want you to get bored would I?”

 


	2. The Games We Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam's a mess. He doesn't understand his own feelings.

As Adam wolfed down his fifth slice of pepperoni pizza, he felt eyes on him from the other side of the booth. His cheeks warmed, and he wondered whether Ronan was even aware he was doing it at this point.

He had first started noticing it a few months ago, and had originally put it down to Ronan’s jealousy and general dislike of him. But then they had become something more akin to friends, and had begun hanging out without Gansey, and the looks remained. He just wished Ronan would say or do something that would confirm that they meant what he suspected. Not that Adam knew what he would do if that did happen. Not that he knew why he so badly wanted to be right about Ronan liking him.

All he knew was that when he was around Ronan, he felt seen… _known._ It both terrified and confused him, because he couldn’t comprehend why on earth he was worth knowing, especially by someone like Ronan.

“Hey guys!” Blue said as she squeezed into the booth, with far too much energy for a Monday evening.

They all said hello back, apart from Gansey, who was just sitting there with his mouth slightly agape, staring at Blue as if they’d been separated for months and she was just returning from war, not even attempting to hide it. Adam rolled his eyes.

“What? Have I got spinach in my teeth or something?” Blue frowned.

“Have you…done something with your hair?” Gansey said quietly.

Adam glanced at Blue again, whose hair did indeed seem different-smoother and silkier.

“Yeah it’s straightened. Orla got some new GHD’s and enslaved me as her doll.” She said contemptuously.

“You should wear it like that more often.”

Adam winced as he knew what was coming next.

“Or how about I wear my hair however I want, and not to be pleasing to men!” Blue replied angrily, crossing her arms.

“No! I mean yes! Wear it how you want. I just meant it looks really pretty. Not that it doesn’t otherwise! It always looks pretty.” Gansey floundered, a blush creeping up his neck all the way to his cheeks.

Adam caught Ronan’s eye and had to stifle a laugh, because Ronan wore an expression that Adam was sure was mirrored on his own face. One of incredulity that Gansey, who had it all, someone so self-assured that he travelled across the globe in the pursuit of a legendary king, could be so easily reduced to a blushing mess by this tiny girl.

“Well, thank you.” Blue said, and Adam could tell she was pleased. “Anyway, I don’t have long, just wanted to say hi. Oh and before I forget Ronan, that girl on table 5 was wondering if I knew who you were, and if she could have your number.” Blue pointed out a pretty girl with long blonde hair near the back of the restaurant, who was chatting animatedly to her friend.

“What? Why would she do that?!” Adam spluttered, an unpleasant feeling settling in his stomach.

They all turned to look at him. Ronan watching him with the most quizzical look of all.

“Parrish don’t be jealous that I’m in higher demand than you.”

“That’s not why he’s jealous.” Noah muttered under his breath. Adam ignored him.

“She’s not your type and you don’t even use your phone! You’re not seriously going to give her your number?” Adam said, trying to murder the high note that had stolen its way into his voice. Why was he so on edge?

There was a pause for a moment as Ronan just looked at Adam, apparently coming to a decision.

“Is that a challenge?”

He then scribbled something on a piece of crumpled paper from his pocket, slid out the booth, and walked straight over to the girl Blue had pointed out. Adam watched as he leaned in close and whispered something in the girl’s ear. After a few moments she giggled. Adam swore he heard the roar that echoed throughout his body, and became acutely aware that his blood was on fire. He didn’t know why his body had betrayed him and was trying to slowly kill him, but that was what it felt like, watching Ronan delicately push a strand of hair out of the girl’s face and leave the piece of paper in her lap.

As Ronan swaggered back to their booth, Adam managed to quell the beast inside him, and leant against the back of the seat in an attempt to look nonplussed.

“Good for you. Now some poor girl’s going to be left heartbroken when you don’t answer her calls.”

“Won’t be a problem.” Ronan smirked, as he scooched over next to Noah.

Did that mean Ronan was actually going to call her? What the fuck? So apparently Adam was wrong about Ronan liking him. He felt suddenly off kilter.                                                            

“Whatever, I’m going to the restroom, be right back.”

As Adam came out of the restroom, he passed the table with the pretty blonde girl and her friend.

“He told me it was a fake number. He was just messing with his friend.”

_What?_ Now Adam was pissed and confused.

He walked with purpose back to their booth. The others were deep in discussion about their plans for the weekend.

Adam sat down, and decided upon his plan of action. He reached his leg under the table and stepped on Ronan’s foot. Ronan looked up at him, frowning, and Adam gave him a playful smile. But Ronan looked away again. Oh hell no. Adam was not having that. This time when he reached his leg under the table he lightly ran his foot up Ronan’s calf, slightly lifting up his trouser leg as he did so, and Ronan jumped up from the contact, banging his knee on the table, making the plates above judder. Ronan swore loudly.

“Man, you okay?” Gansey said, looking genuinely concerned.

“Fine.” Ronan replied, although he was not looking at Gansey, but rather at Adam, his eyes wide and confused. _Yep_ , Adam thought, if Ronan was going to mess with him, then he would mess right back. Two could play at that game.

He decided it was all or nothing, so Adam stretched his hands above his head and pretended to yawn, whilst simultaneously kicking off his shoes. He then locked one foot around Ronan’s ankle, whilst using the other to gently stroke his right leg. Ronan was breathing heavily, staring at Adam as if it would physically hurt to look away.

“Ronan are you okay? You seem distracted.” Adam said without breaking eye contact, feigning ignorance of the fact that his foot was now travelling further and further up, having nearly reached Ronan’s thigh. He subconsciously thought that he had quite possibly crossed a line, but his brain felt hazy, all he could focus on was getting a reaction out of Ronan.

“Yeah, you do look pretty flushed.” Noah said suspiciously, looking between them.

“Maybe you have a fever.” Gansey said.

“No, I’m go-OH MY FUCKING GOD PARRISH STOP!” Ronan said, and Adam hastily shoved his feet back in his shoes.

“Stop what?” Adam said as innocently as he could.

“You god damn well know what!”

“Are you sure you’re not sick?” Adam grinned.

“Come on, get up, we’ll go to the pharmacy.” Gansey offered.

“I’m not standing up.” Ronan said in a strained voice.

“Why?”

“It’s just not a good idea right now. Give me a minute.” Ronan sounded almost desperate now, a feeling not generally associated with him, and it hit Adam why he couldn’t stand up. The thought made him feel extremely pleased with himself.

“Ah, I can see why that might be a bit…hard for you.”

“Fuck you.” Ronan said, biting his lip. Adam raised his eyebrow.

Gansey looked completely perplexed, whilst Noah had a knowing look in his eye.

There was silence for a few moments, before Ronan stood up, his little-well Adam didn’t know what sized-problem having gone, grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him out Nino’s front door.

“What the fuck Lynch let go of me!”

Ronan just kept pulling him until they were in the side alley next to the restaurant, hidden from view.

“What the hell was that in there?” Ronan looked absolutely furious.

Yep. Adam had definitely crossed a line.

“You gave that girl a fake number.”

“So?”

“So she said you only did it to mess with me. I wanted to mess with you.”

“And you thought that a good way to mess with me was fucking footsie? Right next to our friends? Jesus. It wasn’t fair man.” Ronan ran a hand over his head, and he looked more vulnerable than Adam had ever seen him.

“Well, it wasn’t fair you flirting with that girl either!”

“And why is that?”

Adam took a deep breath. “I thought you liked me. I don’t like the idea of your liking someone else.”

Ronan paused, and the previous vulnerability was gone as he put back on the mask of bitterness and apathy. “Oh, I see. So you just like the idea of being liked by someone. Anyone at all. Is that it?”

Adam opened his mouth, but to say what he didn’t know. He knew it was more than that, but he was too scared to admit the truth.

However, Ronan took his silence as an answer. He turned on his heels and stormed off, leaving Adam staring after him, rooted to the spot, as it began to rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so tbh this chapter ended up different to how I was expecting but there you go.
> 
> Just in case it wasn't clear, Ronan was just 'flirting' with that girl to see if it would make Adam jealous. He is in no way attracted to girls lol, and also he now thinks that Adam was just jealous that the attention was no longer on him, when obviously...we know the truth.


End file.
